Bodily movable transferrer arm



Dec. 16, 1947. R. G. TURNER BODILY MOVABLE TRANSFERRER ARM Filed Feb. 1, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 iuvs'n'r'oa.

. RICHARD a. rumvsn ATTORNEY Dec. 16, 1947.

R. G. TURNER BODILY MOVABLE TRANSFERRER ARM Filed Feb. 1, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 LLT INVENTOR RICHARD 6.. TURNER ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 16, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BODILY MOVABLE TRAN SFERRER ARM Application February 1, 1946, Serial No. 644,824

15 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in weft replenishing looms and. it is the general object of the invention to provide a transferrer arm which is movable angularly and also bodily during a transferring operation to facilitate entry of the incoming bobbin into a large shuttle.

In the usual bobbin changing loom the transferrer arm turns around a fixed center so that the transferrer foot on the arm and the incoming bobbin move about a circularly arcuate path. The transfer operation is completed at front center position of the lay at which time the incoming bobbin is completely seated in the shuttle and the transferrer foot is at the lowest point of its travel. The transfer occurs during the latter part of the forward motion of the lay and in order that the incoming bobbin and transferrer foot may move forwardly as the lay advances the pivot of the transferrer arm is located. at an elevation above the shuttle. The transfer foot therefore moves along an arcuate path which is curved downwardly and forwardly during the actual movement of the incoming bobbin into the shuttle.

I The back wall of the shuttle is ordinarily close to the path traversed by the incoming bobbin when the usual type of transferrer arm is used, with the result that when larger shuttles are used to carry increased weft supplies the back wall of the shuttle projects into the path of the incoming bobbin. It is an important object of my present invention to provide a transferrer arm so constructed and controlled as to its motion that it will move down along a path in front of the usual circularly arcuate path, thereby permitting the use of an enlarged shuttle with a higher rear wall which will not extend into the bobbin path. At the end of the transfer operation the bobbin which is being moved by my improved transferrer arm reaches the same position which bobbins reach under former practice, but the bobbin approaches that position along a path which is the result of combined arcuate downward and bodily rearward movement of the transferrer arm.

It is a more specific object of my present invention to provide the transferrer arm with a set of gear teeth meshing with a rack in such manner that as the transferrer arm moves downwardly its gear teeth will roll along the rack and move the transferrer arm bodily in a rearward direction. By reason of this construction the trans ferrer arm can start down from a position in front of the usual, but due to the backward movement the transferrer arm will reach the same end position which ordinary transfer arms occupy.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

- In theaccompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of a loom having my invention applied thereto with the transferrer arm in its normal raised position,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig- 3 is an enlarged front elevation looking in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the motion of the transferrer arm during a replenishing operation, and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation looking in the direction of arrow 5, Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, the loom frame It supports a top or crank shaft H which by means of connectors l2 reciprocates the lay l3 backwardly and forwardly. The lay is provided with a shuttle box M containing a shuttle S which as shown in Fig. 1 carries a depleted bobbin 2B. A transferrer bunter 55 extends forwardly from the lay to engage a transferrer latch [6 when the latter is raised.

The reserve bobbin magazine M is shown in the present instance as having front and back stacks of reserve bobbins 2B or 2|, respectively, which feed downwardly by gravity to their respective transfer positions. The magazine is mounted for rocking movement about a fixed stud 22 on a stationary support 23 appropriately secured to the loom frame. By means of connections designated generally at 24 the magazine can be rocked from the normal position shown in Fig. 1 in a clockwise direction to place the lowest bobbin in the rear stack in position for transfer. This rocking of the magazine is effected by the mechanism shown in the lower right hand part of Fig. 1 and including a lever 25 mounted on a fixed stud 26 and having a pin 21 for engagement with a hook 28 forming part of the connections 24, provided the magazine is to be rocked. If the magazine is not to be rocked the hook will be out of the path of the pin 2'! due to angular movement of a lever 29 which positions the hook 28. The forward end of lever 25 is connected to an upwardly extending rod 30 attached to a lever 3i provided with a latch setter 32. l

A second lever 35 also on stud 26 is given regularly recurring rocking movements by a cam 36 on the bottom shaft 31. A lifting dog 38 on the forward end of lever 35 ordinarily clears a lifting ledge 39 fixed to lever 25, but when a transfer operation is to occur the dog is moved by control mechanism designated generally at K into position to engage the ledge 39 to lift rod 3!] and setter 32, thereby causing the latter to lift the latch l8 into transfer position for engagement with bunter I5.

The'matter thus far described is of common construction and except for the relation which latch l6 bears to my invention may be made in usual manner, as shown for instance in prior Patents Nos. 2,162,290 and 2,219,767. The lay moves backwardly and forwardly and the shuttle will be in the box M on alternate beats of the loom when the lay approaches its front center position. Transfer operations will occur while the lay is moving forwardly, at which time the depleted bobbin in the shuttle S will be replaced by the lowest bobbin in one or the other of the stacks 29 or 2!, depending upon the position of the magazine M. The invention to be set forth hereinafter does not depend for its operation upon the particular kind of magazine or control therefor shown in Fig. 1, and I do not wish to be limited in the practice of my invention to the structures already described.

In order that the bobbins in the magazine may be transferred into the shuttle 'I provide a transferrer arm designated generally at T. This arm is provided at its rear end with a transfer foot 45 held in adjusted longitudinal position along the arm T by adjusting bolts 46. The transferrer arm has integral therewith a pair of depending legs 47 to which the tran-sferrer latch I6 is pivoted as at 48. The transferrer arm also has secured thereto a gear toothed roll or'disk 51! the upper part of which has a smooth untoothed periphery which is held against lateral motion by a guide 52 secured as at 53 to the support 23 and having a downwardly opening slot 54 into which the top of the disk fits. Right and left guide walls 55 and 56, respectively, see Fig. 2, engage the corresponding upper sides of the disk and cause it to move in a straight back and forth direction.

The bottom of the disk 58 is provided with gear teeth 63 concentric with the upper periphery 5i of the disk and concentric also with a pin Bl which passes through the disk and the transferrer arm to position these parts. Secured to the bottom of support 23 is a rack 62 meshing with the teeth 69 and having secured to the sides thereof right and left guide plates 63 and 64, respectively, between which the lower part of the disk rolls along the rack. A spring 65 between arm T and a fixed stud 66 tends to hold the transferrer armup.

Under normal conditions the parts will be in the position shown in Fig. 1 with the transferrer arm raised, latch it down, and the teeth 59 of the disk 58 engaging the forward part of rack 52. When a transfer operation is called the latch l5 will be raised as already described and will be engaged by the bunter i5 during the latter part of the forward movement of the lay. The transferrer arm is then moved down and at the same time the disk 59 rolls rearwardly along the rack 62.

The bobbin in transfer position is .moved into the shuttle by the transferrer arm simultaneously with expulsion of the depletedbobbinfrorn the shuttle. The transfer operationiscompleted when the lay reaches front center position, the transferrer foot 45 at this time being in its'lowest position and the incoming bobbin being ,completely seated in the shuttle.

Fig. 4 illustrates diagrammatically the manner of operation of the invention and the path traversed by the transferrer foot 65 during a transferring operation. The curve a represents generally the path traversed by the transferrer foot and the incoming bobbin, and the point D at the lower end of curve a corresponds to the end of the transfer stroke when the incoming bobbin is completely seated in the shuttle and the lay is on front center position. When the .transferrer arm T is in its normal raised position transferrer arm is shown in its normal position in full lines and in dotted lines in the position which it occupies at the end of the transfer stroke. The curve a is thus seen to be the re-' sultant of an arcuate downward and bodiy rearward movement of the transferrer foot 45. Curve a is in fact a segment of a prolate trochoid.

The advantage of the improved transferrer arm will be apparent from a comparison of curve a with circular are c which is the path the incoming bobbin and foot 45 would traverse in order to reach 12 if the transferrer arm moved around a fixed center, such as the axis of pin 6| when the latter is in the full line position of Fig. 4. It will be readily apparent that curve a is displaced forwardly from the circular are c, and from this relationship it will be understood that the incoming bobbin will move downwardly along a path in front of the usual path, thereby permitting the use of a higher back wall on the shuttle. Upon completion of the transfer operation spring 65 lifts the transferrer arm and rolls the disk 50 forwardly to the normal position thereof shown in full lines in Fig. 4.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided means by which the transferrer arm of a weft replenishing loom descends during a transfer operation along a path which is the resultant of two factors or components one of which is derived from the downward and arcuate movement around pin GI and the other of which is derived from the bodily rearward movement caused by backward rolling of the disk 50 on rack 62. By reason of the invention set forth hereinbefore the transferrer foot 45 when at the end of a transferring stroke will occupy a position substantially the same as that of the usual transferrer foot, but the improved foot approaches this end position along a path which is forward of the usual path, and it is for this reason that a larger shuttle having a higher back wall can be used.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a weft replenishing loom having a stationary frame structure and a transferrer arm to move a reserve bobbin into a shuttle on a lay, mounting means on the frame structure for said transferrer arm causing the latter to have-simultaneous angular and bodily movements relatively to said frame structure whenever said transferrer arm is moved angularly relatively to said frame structure, and means operative incident to a replenishing operation of the loom to move said transferrer arm anguiarly and thereby cause the mounting means to move the transferrer arm bodily as the latter effects movement of the bobbin into the shuttle.

2. In a weft replenishing loom having a transferrer arm to move a reserve bobbin into ashuttle, means mounting the transferrer arm for angular and bodily movement in directions toward the shuttle, and means incident to a replenishing operation of the 100m to move the transferrer arm angularly and cooperate with the mounting means to move the transferrer arm bodily toward the shuttle due to angular movement thereof to effect movement of the bobbin into the shuttle.

3. In a weft replenishing loom having a transferrer arm to move a reserve bobbin into a shuttle, means forward of the shuttle mounting the transferrer arm for angular movement toward and from the shuttle and simultaneously causing bodily movement of the transferrer arm relative to the shuttle due to angular movement of the arm, and means operative incident to a replenishing operation of the loom to move said transferrer arm angularly and thereby cause the first means to move the transferrer arm bodily toward the shuttle.

4. In a weft replenishing loom having a transferrer arm to move a reserve bobbin into a shuttle during a weft replenishing operation of the loom, means constituting a movable axis around which the transferrer arm is moved angularly during a replenishing operation, and means moving said axis toward the shuttle during a replenishing operation.

5. In a weft replenishing loom having a transferrer arm to move a reserve bobbin into a shuttle, means mounting said transferrer arm to cause bodily movements thereof toward and from the shuttle Whenever the transferrer arm moves angularly toward and from the shuttle, and means incident to a replenishing operation cooperating with the first named means during a replenishing operation of the loom to move the transferrer arm angularly toward the shuttle and simultaneously bodily toward the shuttle.

6. In a weft replenishing loom provided with a bobbin transferrer arm which moves angularly about a movable axis during a weft replenishing operation of the loom, and means moving said axis toward the shuttle being replenished during a replenishing operation.

7. In a weft replenishing loom having a transferrer arm movable angularly to effect replenishment of a shuttle, means on a stationary part of the loom forward of the shuttle causing said transferrer arm to move bodily toward the shuttle due to angular movement of the transferrer arm during a weft replenishing operation.

8. In a weft replenishing loom having a transferrer arm to effect replenishment of a shuttle, means forward of the shuttle including meshing rack and gear members effective to move the transferrer arm simultaneously angularly and bodily toward the shuttle during a weft replenishing operation of the loom.

9. In a weft replenishing 100m having a reserve bobbin to be inserted into a shuttle, a transferrer arm to efiect movement of the bobbin into the shuttle, means mounting the transferrer arm causing the latter to move bodily toward and from the shuttle whenever the transferrer arm moves angularly toward and from the shuttle, and means operative during a replenishing operation of the loom causing said first named means to move the transferrer arm simultaneously angularly and bodily toward the shuttle to cause movement of the bobbin into the shuttle.

10. In a weft replenishing loom having a transferrer arm to insert a reserve bobbin into a shuttle, a toothed gear member fixed with respect to the transferrer arm, a stationary rack meshing with the gear member, and means operative incident to a replenishing operation of the loom causing rolling movement of said gear member along said rack and causing simultaneous angular and bodily movements of the transferrer arm relatively to the shuttle.

11. In a weft replenishing loom having a reserve bobbin to be moved into a shuttle by a transferrer arm, support means for the transferrer arm forward of the shuttle and including a stationary rack and a toothed gear member meshing therewith and fixed with respect to the transferrer arm, and mechanism causing simultaneous angular and bodily movement of the gear member relatively to said rack to cause the transferrer arm to move the bobbin into the shuttle during a replenishing operation of the loom.

12. In a weft replenishing loom having a transferrer arm to move a reserve bobbin into the shuttle, a toothed gear member secured to the transferrer arm forward of the shuttle, a stationary rack meshing with the gear member below the axis of the latter, and means operative during a replenishing operation of the loom causing said gear member to roll along said rack toward the shuttle and simultaneously effect downward movement of the transferrer arm.

13. In a weft replenishing loom having a reciprocating lay, a transferrer arm, a latch on the arm engaged by the lay during a replenishing operation, and mounting means for the trans ferrer arm and latch so constructed as to give the transferrer arm a combined angular and bodily movement toward the shuttle being replenished upon engagement of the latch by the lay.

14. In a loom having a reciprocating lay, a transferrer arm to insert a reserve bobbin into the shuttle, a lay engaging latch on the transferrer arm, a stationary rack, a. toothed gear member fixed with respect to the transferrer arm and meshing with said rack, said gear member and rack cooperating during forward movement of the lay when the latter engages said latch to move the transferrer arm simultaneously and bodily toward the shuttle to effect movement of the bobbin into the shuttle.

15. In a weft replenishing loom having a reserve bobbin transferrer arm, pivotal mounting means for said arm effective when the latter moves angularly to cause those parts thereof which engage a reserve bobbin during a replenishing operation to move in prolate trochoidal paths.

RICHARD G. TURNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,239,086 Cunniff Sept. 4, 1917 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 279,463 Great Britain Mar. 15, 1928 613,523 France Aug. 27, 1926 648,172 Germany July 23, 1937 

